Open Your Mind
by insaneshadowfangirl
Summary: A "Lullaby" story. RotG w/ more DP than usual. Mr. Lancer gets a stranger than normal poem in from one of his stranger students, but that's nothing compared to what he runs into on his way home. Maybe he should keep his mind a bit more open. A bit fluffy.


I don't own Danny Phantom, Innocent by Taylor Swift, or RotG's Jack frost. "Lullaby" Universe, after the punishment. More DP elements than usual.

* * *

**"What is a snowflake?**

**Is it a miracle or a mistake?**

**Or perhaps there is one,**

**Who brings wint'ry Fun?**

**A boy, a tale,**

**Coming with the Winter gale?**

**Crying unseen tears,**

**Filled with lonely fears.**

**A winter child,**

**alone and wild.**

**Why does he bring you beauty?**

**When it seems you'll never see?**

**Why should he keep trying?**

**When only hope is keeping him from dying?**

**We avoid winter's chill**

**We fear it, for it may kill.**

**But all he sees is hate and scorn**

**His heart is broken, sorrow born.**

**Why do you refuse to believe?**

**Be open-minded this Winter's Eve.**

**If you believe, you may just see,**

**Sitting unwanted, alone, crying, he,**

**The boy of Winter's ice and snow,**

**Asking the Moon, just to know,**

**Why he's here, alone in tears,**

**Left to face his greatest fears.**

**If you see him, will you walk away?**

**And leave him to face another day?**

**Jack Frost may bring Winter's chill,**

**But it's those who've abandoned him that make me ill."**

* * *

William Lancer stared at the paper in front of him. The poem was beautiful, but it didn't make much sense. It was as though she'd started speaking hypothetically, then grew almost... personal... by the end of it. It was strange, even for Miss Pureheart, who was inherently strange. He sighed, deciding to sleep on her grade, and gathered his belongings for the long walk home. His car had broken down that morning, and he'd stayed past the city bus closing time. Hopefully, it wasn't too cold tonight.

He trekked through the streets, pulling his claok tighter around him to protect from winter's chill. He passed the park, only to freeze in his tracks, hearing a voice float through the trees.

A voice he'd rarely heard singing like this, but that he knew well.

What in the world was Chasity Pureheart doing out in the park singing at night in December?

_"I guess you really did it this time_  
_Left yourself in your war-path_  
_Lost your balance on a tightrope_  
_Lost your mind trying to get it back..."_

"The Color Purple! That girl is gonna be the death of me!" He hurried to the sound of the voice to see her sitting under a tree.

But she wasn't alone.

_"Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?_  
_Always a bigger bed to crawl into_  
_Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything_  
_& everybody believed in you?"_

Unseen by the couple, Lancer stared at the white-haired child sobbing into his female student's shoulder. At first he though it could be the town hero, Danny Phantom, but he realized this boy was smaller, more delicate, though around the same age. Who...?

_"It's alright, just wait and see_  
_Your string of lights is still bright to me_  
_Oh, who you are is not where you've been_  
_You're still an innocent_  
_You're still an innocent_

_Did some things you can't speak of_  
_But at night you live it all again_  
_You wouldn't be shattered on the floor now_  
_If only you would seen what you know now then_

_Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catchin' days?_  
_When everything out of reach, someone bigger brought down to you_  
_Wasn't it beautiful runnin' wild 'til you fell asleep_  
_Before the monsters caught up to you?_

_It's alright, just wait and see_  
_Your string of lights is still bright to me_  
_Oh, who you are is not where you've been_  
_You're still an innocent_  
_It's okay, life is a tough crowd_  
_302 & still growin' up now_  
_Who you are is not what you did._  
_You're still an innocent._

_Time turns flames to embers_  
_You'll have new Septembers_  
_Every one of us has messed up too_  
_Lives change like the weather_  
_I hope you remember_  
_Today is never too late to be brand new_

_It's alright, just wait and see_  
_Your string of lights is still bright to me_  
_Oh, who you are is not where you've been_  
_You're still an innocent_  
_It's okay, life is a tough crowd_  
_302 we're still growin' up now_  
_Who you are is not what you did_  
_You're still an innocent_  
_You're still an innocent_

_Lost your balance on a tightrope_  
_It's never too late to get it back..."_

"Chass?" the boy asked in a sniffly voice. "Why does everyone hate me?"

Chass sighed. "I wish I had an answer to that question, Jack."

Lancer, who was shifting to keep warm, froze, startled. **Jack? As in Jack Frost? ... No... It can't be.**

But some part of him had already accepted it.

He watched Chass run her fingers through his snowy hair. "And I don't hate you. Neither do Danny, Sam, Tucker, Jazz, Pitch, Mom, Daddy... You're something extra special, Jack Frost."

Mr. Lancer turned and left. He was pretty sure Chass could take care of herself, and Jack Frost was in good hands.

* * *

"Here's your poem, Miss Pureheart." Mr. Lancer said, setting her graded paper on her desk.

She stared at it, unbelieving. "I got an A?"

Mr. Lancer nodded, then winked at her. "You have a beautiful voice, Chasity. And soothing too. Perfect for calming down winter's child." He said quietly, lest his other students hear. "And I'm going to have to say I'll keep a more open mind from now on."

Her jaw dropped, and she mouthed the words 'Winter's child' with wide eyes.

Right before he turned to give Sam Manson poem, he saw her shoot him a beaming smile.


End file.
